,,,,,,,:@# #@:,,,,,,,
,,«««^^### ###^^«««,,
,,«:^@#@## ##@#@^:«,,
,,,,«:^@@@ @@@^:«,,,,
,,,,,«^@## ##@^«,,,,,
,,«:^@#### , , , ####@^:«,,
,,,,,««^@# , , , , , , #@^««,,,,,
,,,,«^@@@# , , , , , , , , #@@@^«,,,,
,,«:^@#@## « « « « « « « « « « « ##@#@^:«,,
,,«:^@#@## :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ##@#@^:«,,
,,,,,,«^## ##^«,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:@# JUST OFF THE COAST TO THE BALTIC SEA #@:,,,,,,,
,,,,,::@@@ THERE'S A FRESHWATER POND, SECLUDED @@@::,,,,,
,,«:^@#@## AMONG ASHEN AND JUNIPER. A CLEFT IN THE ##@#@^:«,,
,,«:^@#@## LIMESTONE BEDROCK, SHARP-CUT FROM THE ##@#@^:«,,
,,,,::^^@# SURROUNDING PLAINS, A NINETY DEGREE #@^^::,,,,
,,«:^@#@## DROP DOWN, DOWN, TO THE MIDNIGHT-BLACK ##@#@^:«,,
,,«:^@#@## WATER. ##@#@^:«,,
,,,«:::@#@ @#@:::«,,,
,,«:^@#### ««««^^^^^^^^«««« ####@^:«,,
,,«:^@#### ««^^ ^^«« ####@^:«,,
,,,,,,,«^# «««««^^ FAIRIES LIVE HERE. ^^««««« #^«,,,,,,,
,,«:^@#@## ««^^ ^^«« ##@#@^:«,,
,,,,,«:^## ««««^^^^^^^^«««« ##^:«,,,,,
,,«:^@#@## ##@#@^:«,,
,,«:^@#@## THEY SPEAK TO THE SLOANE, CARESS IT, ##@#@^:«,,
,,«:^@#@## URGE IT TO GROW THICKER, TANGLED, WITH ##@#@^:«,,
,,,,::^#@# LONGER AND SHARPER THORNS. THEY TELL IT #@#^::,,,,
,,,,,«««^# TO STAY JUST BELOW THE GRASS, SO THAT #^«««,,,,,
,,,,,:@@#@ THE ANIMALS WHAT COME TO DRINK THE @#@@:,,,,,
,,,,,,:@@# WATER CANNOT SEE IT BEFORE IT DRAWS #@@:,,,,,,
,,«:^@#@## THEIR BLOOD. CLOSER TO THE POND, THE ##@#@^:«,,
,,,,,,«^## SLOANE CAN GROW TALLER, BEING ABLE TO ##^«,,,,,,
,,,,,««^## HIDE ALSO IN THE JUNIPER. ##^««,,,,,
,,«:^@#@## ##@#@^:«,,
,,,,,,:^## THE FAIRIES WILL BECKON THE ANIMALS TO ##^:,,,,,,
,,«:^@#@## PUSH FORWARD, TELL THEM THAT THEY'RE ##@#@^:«,,
,,,,,«^#@@ ALMOST AT THE WATER, THAT THEY MAY @@#^«,,,,,
,,«:^@#### DRINK SOON. AND THEY WILL TUG ON THE ####@^:«,,
,,«:^@#@## SLOANE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE THORNS CUT ##@#@^:«,,
,,«:^@#@@@ DEEP. WHEN THEY FINALLY FIND THE PATH @@@#@^:«,,
,,«:^@#@## DOWN BETWEEN THE ROCKS, AWAY FROM THE ##@#@^:«,,
,,«:^@#@## BUSHWORK AND INTO THE CLEFT, THEY ARE ##@#@^:«,,
,,«:^#@### BLEEDING FROM A THOUSAND WOUNDS. AS ###@#^:«,,
,,,,,«:^## THEY DRINK FROM THE DARK WATER, IT IS ##^:«,,,,,
,,«:^@#@## IN TURN DRINKING THE ANIMALS BLOOD. ##@#@^:«,,
,,«:^@#@## ##@#@^:«,,
,,,,,,:@@# THE CIRCLE IS COMPLETE, THE CONTRACT #@@:,,,,,,
,,«:^@@@## CARRIED OUT; THE ANIMAL IS ABANDONED TO ##@@@^:«,,
,,«:^@#@## FIND ITS OWN WAY BACK. THE BUSHES ROOTS ##@#@^:«,,
,,«:^@#@## DRINK THE NUTRUTIOUS WATER. THE FAIRIES ##@#@^:«,,
,,«:^@#@## DANCE IN THE SUNBEAMS. ##@#@^:«,,
,,«:^@##@@ @@##@^:«,,
,,«:^@#@## :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ##@#@^:«,,
,,,,,,,:@@ « « « « « « « « « « « @@:,,,,,,,
,,«:^^^### , , , , , , , , ###^^^:«,,
,,,,,««^^# , , , , , , #^^««,,,,,
,,«:::^^@@ , , , @@^^:::«,,
,,,,,,:@@# #@@:,,,,,,
,,«:^@#@## ##@#@^:«,,
,,«:^@#@## ##@#@^:«,,
,,«:^@#@## ##@#@^:«,,
,,«:^@#@## ##@#@^:«,,